Results 19,481-19,500 of 32,999 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Cycle to Work Scheme (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As I informed the Deputy in my reply to PQ reference 27163/19 on 26th June this year, the Cycle To Work scheme provides an exemption from tax on the first €1,000 of expenditure incurred by an employer in connection with the provision of a bicycle or safety equipment to an employee or director. The bicycle must be for the employee/director’s personal use in undertaking the whole...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Social Housing Expenditure (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The NTMA have informed me that this delivery mechanism has been superseded by the Enhanced Long-Term Social Housing Leasing Scheme, which was launched on 31 January 2018. The NTMA, as the National Development Finance Agency, acted as financial advisor to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in respect of the development of this long-term leasing model, however the NTMA...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Living City Initiative (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Living City Initiative (LCI) was provided for in Finance Act 2013 and commenced on 5th May 2015. In my Budget 2020 speech I announced that the LCI would be extended from 5 May 2020 to 31 December 2022. In Finance Act 2014, LCI was extended beyond the original planned pilot city special regeneration zones of Limerick and Waterford, to include the special...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am presuming that the Deputy is referring to the taxation of aviation fuel rather than its overall cost. The Energy Tax Directive (2003/96/EC) currently mandatorily exempts the application of tax on aviation fuel used in intra EU and international flights, save where bilateral arrangements are entered into between Member States. The European Commission recently published an evaluation of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Parental Leave (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: In relation to parental leave matters, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I only have responsibility for the civil service. Other Ministers have responsibility for parental leave matters in the different sectors of the wider public service. With effect from 1 September, 2010, the upper age limit of the child increased in the civil service from 8 to 13 years on an administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Services Card (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware the Public Services Card and MyGovID are a means of assisting the delivery of public services to the people who need them. They were brought about to ensure personal data is protected, and to ensure people get access to public services safely, securely and efficiently. As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am responsible for ensuring the proper use of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service Staff Data (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Career Break Scheme in the Civil Service is covered by Circular 4 of 2013. Under the terms of the Scheme, a career break consists of special leave without pay for a period of: (a) not less than six months and not more than five years for the following reasons: - Family reasons - Other domestic reasons - Travel - Educational purposes (educational purposes may include training courses with...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The change in the number of public servants,(on a full-time equivalent or FTE basis), employed across the Public Service at the end of quarter 4 in each of the years from 2014 to 2018 is set out below. For 2019 the numbers employed at the end of the second quarter are compared with the numbers at the end of quarter 4 in 2018. 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 (as at 30 June 2019) Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Data (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Recruitment Year 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Total Clerical Officer 82 64 18 14 19 19 216 Staff Officer 5 8 0 0 0 0 13 Executive Officer 49 31 10 11 7 14 122 Administrative Officer 21 29 38 37 16 21 162 Higher Executive Officer 43 25 10 16 15 8 117 Assistant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Proofing of Budgets (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Building on the Equality Budgeting pilot, the Department of Justice and Equality, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform requested the OECD to take stock of actions that the Government of Ireland has taken to mainstream equality considerations as part of the budget process. To conduct the scan an OECD delegation met with both departments and a large number of stakeholders during...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware the capital allocation for Health increased by €80 million in the recently published Budget figures. The increase in the Health capital expenditure allocation for 2020 takes account of the additional funding required for the National Children's Hospital, as well as the re-profiling of other elements of capital expenditure both within the Health sector and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates Process (15 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Section 1.1.5,on pages 47 to 49 of Expenditure Report 2020, sets out the detail in relation to potential Supplementary Estimates for this year based on the information available at this point in time. This section of the Expenditure Report provides a reconciliation between the net voted expenditure amounts in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2019 and the White Paper - Estimates of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (16 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: In my Budget 2020 speech, I announced an increase from €20 to €26 in the carbon tax.  Following the approval of the Dáil, this increase has been applied to Mineral Oil Tax (MOT) rates for mineral oils used as auto-fuels (for cars and trucks) from midnight on 9 October 2019. All other MOT rates remain at their current levels until 1 May 2020 when new rates will...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Union Data (16 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Further to Parliamentary Question No. 57 of 3 October 2019, I have been informed by the Central Bank that credit unions provide information on ‘Investments by Counterparty’ on their quarterly Prudential Return. Based on data provided by credit unions on the June 2019 Prudential Return credit unions hold c.€13 billion in deposits and investments with c....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Budget 2020 (16 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: In Budget 2020 I announced policy changes to a number of taxation measures with the objective of supporting Enterprise, SMEs and the Agri-sector. This package of measures included the Key Employee Engagement Programme (KEEP), the Employment and Investment Incentive (EII), the Special Assignee Relief Programme (SARP), the Foreign Earnings Deduction (FED) and the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme (16 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Budget 2020 change to increase the annual investment limit for the Employment and Investment Incentive (EII) from €150,000 to €250,000.  I am advised by Revenue that, taking that proposed change into account, the estimated cost to the Exchequer of increasing the annual investment limit to the amounts indicated by...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (16 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that the first and full year costs of further increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit by €150, to equalise the level with the PAYE Credit, are estimated to be in the order of €20m and €35m respectively.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (16 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the Budget 2020 change to increase the Research and Development (R&D) tax credit from 25% to 30% on qualifying expenditure for relevant micro and small companies. This measure is being introduced subject to State aid approval. I am advised by Revenue that the estimated cost of increasing the rate from 30% to the levels indicated by the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Stability and Growth Pact (16 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The reporting of government spending under the Stability and Growth Pact obligations is classified according to the European System of Accounts 2010 (ESA 2010) framework. To avoid penalising spikes in government investment in Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), the European Commission allows this investment to be averaged over a four year period. This means that only one...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (16 Oct 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Moriarty Tribunal made a number of recommendations which affected a number of Government Departments.  As Minister for Finance, I can only respond in relation to the recommendations made in relation to my own Department. As the Deputy will be aware, the tribunal pointed out problems to be addressed in our system of financial regulation.  Poor supervision, an overly-deferential...